Home Cooking

The path

1. 1
   Level 1Free

   Kitchen Basics

   Eggs to stir-fry, ending with dinner for friends

   15 Steps, about 41 minutes each. People who don't really cook yet, or only follow recipes exactly. No experience needed.

   1. Chapter 1: Knife and heat. A diced onion, soft scrambled eggs, fluffy rice, roast vegetables and crispy chicken: a full plate you cooked yourself.
   2. Chapter 2: Flavor. A dressed salad, a pan sauce, pasta in your own sauce, soup from scratch and a stir-fry.
   3. Chapter 3: Dinner for friends. A meal cooked without a recipe, a big pot of chili, a planned menu, and a dinner you cook and serve to friends.

   1. 1
      Hold a knife and dice

      A whole onion diced into even pieces, plus two cloves of garlic minced, cut safely.

      Knife skills are the foundation of cooking. Cutting food into even pieces makes it cook evenly, and a safe grip lets you cut faster with less risk.

      Two grips matter. The knife hand uses a pinch grip: thumb and index finger pinch the blade just in front of the handle, with the other fingers wrapped around the handle. This gives far more control than holding only the handle. The other hand uses a claw: fingertips curled under, knuckles forward, so the blade's flat side rests against your knuckles, not your fingertips.

      The detail beginners miss is a stable board. A cutting board that slides is dangerous. Put a damp paper towel or cloth under it so it stays put.

      Here's an example. Damp towel under the board. Onion halved through the root, peeled, root left on to hold it together. Flat side down. Horizontal cuts toward the root, then vertical cuts, then across into even dice. Garlic crushed with the flat of the knife, peeled, then rocked into a fine mince.

      Right is even dice and all ten fingertips intact. A sharp knife is safer than a dull one, because it doesn't slip. Never try to catch a falling knife; step back and let it fall.

      Gordon RamsayThe Kitchn
      Show your group
   2. 2
      Soft scrambled eggs

      A plate of soft, creamy scrambled eggs cooked on low heat.

      The Kitchn
   3. 3
      Rice on the stove

      A pot of fluffy long-grain rice, cooked by ratio, not a box.

      Budget Bytes

   See all 15 Steps

   1. 4
      Roast vegetables

      A sheet pan of roast vegetables, browned at the edges and tender inside.

      Budget Bytes
   2. 5
      Crispy chicken thighs

      Crispy-skinned chicken thighs cooked to 165°F, plated with your rice and roast vegetables.

      Family SavvyThe Kitchn
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   3. 6
      Salt, fat, acid: salad

      A vinaigrette made by ratio and a salad dressed and seasoned to taste.

      The Kitchn
   4. 7
      Make a pan sauce

      A seared chicken breast or pork chop with a pan sauce made from the browned bits.

      Binging with BabishFood Network
   5. 8
      Pasta with your own sauce

      A pot of tomato sauce from canned tomatoes, tossed with pasta cooked to al dente.

      Budget Bytes
   6. 9
      Soup from scratch

      A pot of chicken noodle soup built from vegetables, chicken and broth.

      Budget Bytes
   7. 10
      A real stir-fry

      A chicken and vegetable stir-fry cooked hot and fast, with everything cut before the pan heats.

      The Kitchn
      Show your group
   8. 11
      Fried rice, no recipe

      Fried rice made from leftovers, cooked from what you've learned, without following a recipe.

      Budget Bytes
   9. 12
      A big pot of chili

      A pot of chili simmered low and slow, with leftovers for later.

      Budget Bytes
   10. 13
       Plan your dinner

       A menu for 4 to 6 people and a shopping list, built from dishes you've already cooked.

       Budget Bytes
   11. 14
       Make a game plan

       A timed prep list for your dinner, with anything that can be done early done a day ahead.

       The Kitchn
   12. 15
       Cook dinner for friends

       Your planned dinner cooked, served and eaten with friends.

       The Kitchn
       Show your group
2. Level 2Unlocks after Level 1

   Weeknight Cook

   Braises, roasts and a week of meals planned

3. Level 3Unlocks after Level 2

   Cook Like a Pro

   Restaurant techniques and a three-course menu

Where it ends: cooking without a recipe

Free lessons in Kitchen Basics come from Gordon Ramsay, The Kitchn, Budget Bytes, Family Savvy, Binging with Babish, Food Network. We link to their work and never copy it.